Fiscal Planning and the Funding of Capital Projects 2017

New Jersey’s Political Landscape 2017

New Jersey’s Political Landscape – November 2017, a presentation by David smith Princeton Public Affairs Group, given at the 2017 Annual Conference of the Association of Environmental Authorities (AEA NJ).

The AEA annual meeting and conference will feature keynote speaker Chuck Underwood, an expert in the sociology of generations, as well as other programs, panels and speakers –plus opportunities to make valuable connections and earn water, wastewater and engineering credits.

The event is slated for Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Caesar’s in Atlantic City and will wrap up on Wednesday with a closing reception at 4 p.m. Commissioners and executive directors are invited to a free lunchtime session with Mr. Underwood at noon on Tuesday. In “Talkin’ ‘bout our Generations: Winning over Boomers, Xers & Millennials,” Mr. Underwood will offer a lively interactive workshop aimed at giving commissioners essential tools to bridging the generation gap, both when dealing with employees and ratepayers.

Mr. Underwood’s keynote will begin at 5 p.m. A renowned author, speaker and lecturer, Mr. Underwood pioneered the field of generational study and business strategies, leading to the creation of his firm, The Generational Imperative, Inc. His clients include business giants such as Hewlett-Packard, Procter &; Gamble, Time Warner Cable, and many others. He hosted the PBS television series America’s Generations With Chuck Underwood.

Tuesday evening will be capped off with a networking reception at 6:15 p.m. It’s a great way to meet colleagues in the field, learn about challenges and successes in other authorities, make valuable connections to enhance your career or business, and just plain get to know people who face the same workplace issues you do.

On Wednesday, the AEA’s annual meeting kicks off at 8:30 a.m., when the 2018 slate of officers and board members will be presented for a vote. (The voting delegate from each member organization is eligible to vote.) In addition to a “State of the Association” presentation, AEA President Mike Ruppel will deliver a “farewell” address.

At 9:15 a.m. a presentation entitled, “Impact of the Election on AEA Membership,” will be made by David A. Smith of the Princeton Public Affairs Group (PPAG). Mr. Smith will focus his experienced eye on how the gubernatorial election may affect AEA members. Richard Erickson of First Environment, Inc. and Dan Rizza of Climate Central will follow that up at 9:45 a.m. with a discussion of tools and analyses that can help New Jersey cope with sea-level rise. The “safety loss” portion of the program will include presentations designed to improve safety, will address risk management and personnel procedures and policies that reduce financial liability.

After lunch Chris Sturm of New Jersey Future will moderate a panel on the Water Quality Accountability Act. An expert panel will unpack the impact of this legislation today on drinking water purveyors and in the future, very likely wastewater systems too. “Using Envision to Better Vet Capital Improvement Projects” will be presented by Evan Bowles and a panel on funding capital projects, presented by Bob Beinfield, Doug Bacher and Heather Litzebauer, will offer insight into how to plan and finance a capital program or repair and replacement schedule. Our closing reception will be at 4pm. For more information, visit https://www.aeanj.org or follow us on Facebook.